JIA Future Artists Award

Discovering future talents globally and collecting illustrations from children all over the world.

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2025 Winner List：Age 19-22

Gold Award

Li Ruen Shin

Silver Award

Suzu Ito , zeronull , NIHONBASHI UKIYO

Bronze Award

Shao Ruofei , Jiajun Li , CHERRY FAIRY , huangyuxuan , Minatsu YUI , Yang Jingyi , Zhan Chaoming , chenxinsheng

Shortlist

ZhAla Sersniova , aruto Kihara , Aaron Gao , Yi Xuanchen , Daiki Ikukawa

General Review

Japan Illustrators' Association

This age group was marked by works that deeply explored their themes and showed strong individuality. Many focused on relationships with society, inner struggles, and the search for personal meaning—often through layered and complex concepts.

The Gold-winning piece communicated a call for empathy and connection through an encounter with one's 'inner child,' earning praise for both its emotional depth and refined composition. Silver winners employed varied approaches—from poetic stillness and projection-based installations to quiet observation of daily life—all with a sense of intentionality that impressed the judges. Bronze winners offered technically solid and emotionally resonant works, while Honorable Mentions showed great potential through unique ideas and thematic exploration.

Victo Ngai

Mature, thoughtful, and conceptually rich. These artists are skilled in both message and medium. Refining visual clarity—through composition or contrast—can further elevate already powerful and compelling narratives.

Belle Lee

I truly enjoyed the brilliance of the artwork in this age group. This group demonstrated a high level of artistic maturity and conceptual clarity. Many of the pieces were technically impressive and intellectually engaging, showing that these young adults are developing distinct artistic identities. They are starting to address complex social, cultural, and personal themes with growing confidence and insight.

GOLD AWARD

Li Ruen Shin（Taiwan . China）

1-5. Leave No One Behind

Adobe Illustrator, Procreate

Everyone faces different life circumstances,. Beneath the seemingly ordinary surface, there are many feelings and emotion that only known to oneself. When staying quiet and alone, one could discover an inner child living inside your heart, accumulating many emotions and pressures that are not being properly cared for. Starting by focusing on one’ s own inner child, I empathize that those around me face some similar challenges! Hence, I want to spread warmth and readily achievable small actions to make connection between people. Regardless of age,gender or faith, everyone deserves to be cared for properly, and anyone can become a transmitter of love. By spreading a little kindness, they can also deeply feel their own unique value.

6. Way Make

water color, color pencil

Sometimes, the unknown future make us afraid to head for. Where comes the courage? When you have someone you want to love or protect, for instance, family and friends, even when you are walking in the dark sky without anything, the courage from love can make us a way maker. Heading in the front and face all the difficulties with joy and thank.

Sophie Blackall

This artist combines a mastery of both digital and analog illustration techniques, combined with a unique visual style and interesting conceptual ideas.

Victo Ngai

Li’s work radiates warmth and compassion, offering thoughtful messages about empathy and connection. “Connect. Leave No One Behind” stands out with its clear visual hierarchy and elegant, varied mark-making, which adds depth and clarity to the narrative. In contrast, “Way Maker,” while poetic in concept, features more uniform mark-making that slightly flattens the image. Some background elements also compete with the main subject, diluting the emotional focus.

Belle Lee

Connect. Leave No one behind, this art series is well structured to tell a story with thoughtful use of color, compositions and character. The artwork beautifully showcases the style, creating a unique atmosphere. Easy to follow and the message is clear.

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SILVER AWARD

SILVER AWARD

Suzu Ito （Japan）

SILVER AWARD

zeronull（China）

SILVER AWARD

NIHONBASHI UKIYO （Japan）

For the crying moon

Colored pencils, transparent watercolor

A Song for the Moon: City, Sea, and Night

Sophie Blackall

Lovely color pencil work and art deco influences combine to make this a compelling image, with subtle decorative elements.

Victo Ngai

A delicate and atmospheric piece, full of quiet emotion. I especially love Suzu’s framing device—it evokes the charm of Golden Age illustration while grounding the composition beautifully. The unusual design of the moon is captivating and adding a sense of mystery.

Belle Lee

The whimsical style, floral details, and compositions work together to tell a compelling story. It feels almost poetic.

Baby Mobile

Iron, washi paper, cotton thread, projected video

Human blood is made of iron, and the buildings we live in are framed with steel. In short, the world we exist in is built of iron. Animals made of washi paper symbolize the soul. The word “anima” means “soul” in Latin, and is the root of the word “animal.” When humans first pick up a brush to draw—whether as primitive people or as children—they draw animals. This year, I turned twenty, the age of adulthood under Japanese law. If one century equates to one generation, then humanity has just reached adulthood in this century. It is a time of maturity, a culmination of evolution from the first baby cries echoed in cave paintings to the ever-emerging waves of modernism. So, as a tribute to myself and the collective memory of all humanity, I dedicate this baby mobile made of iron wire and images of cave murals.

Sophie Blackall

This artist is exploring themes of time and transition using a range of historical and contemporary techniques to create a mobile that incorporates cave paintings, origami and sculpture in a fascinating and beautiful way.

Victo Ngai

Ambitious, intellectual, and beautifully symbolic. Zeronull ’s iron-and-paper baby mobile installation is a poetic and creative tribute to collective memory.

Belle Lee

I love how delicately crafted the mobile and how animals are spinning when they move.Somehow the lighting feels like rebirth to me. Conveying animal origami to cave murals is a great concept.

PEOPLE

PC with Adobe Photoshop

This artwork portrays people I encountered in my everyday life—on the train to school, around campus, and at my part-timejob.I’ masophomoreatanartuniversity,deeplyinterestedinthesubtleemotionsandhumanconnectionsthatappear in daily life, and I mainly create portraits.The moments of interaction, conversations, and gestures I shared with them are precious sources of inspiration for me. Through this piece, I aimed to capture the fleeting expressions and atmosphere in a way that might evoke a sense of familiarity or empathy in those who view it.

Sophie Blackall

Portraits of strangers and passersby are drawn with empathy and perceptive observation in this graphic composition of faces arranged in a grid, that nods to pop art.

Victo Ngai

A sincere portrayal of everyday people. Ukiyo captures fleeting emotions with bold expressiveness, giving each figure a great personality. I do wish that all the faces are unique—I think that can further enrich the concept and highlight the individuality within the collective.

Belle Lee

Throughout the piece the artist shows well about different human emotions and expressions. They are so rich and it gives me fun to look at their faces. Line art and simple color usage is great too.

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BRONZE AWARD

BRONZE AWARD

Shao Ruofei（China）

BRONZE AWARD

Jiajun Li（China）

BRONZE AWARD

CHERRY FAIRY🍒🪽 （Japan）

The Language of the Ocean is the Forest

Procreate

This design concept aims to build a bridge between the economy and marine conservation. Most of the existing marine conservation efforts in our country are either mandated by the government or voluntarily carried out by non-profit organizations. We believe that if businesses can be made aware that protecting the oceans can bring economic benefits to themselves, they may be more proactive in participating in wastewater purification efforts. With this diagram, I have envisioned a utopia that promotes wastewater treatment through an economic operational model.

Sophie Blackall

The elements of this illustration are so detailed that they require close examination, but at the same time, the components of the whole are arranged in a clear and graphic way that makes for a compelling image.

Victo Ngai

Creative concept with a unique approach to environmental storytelling. Ruofei’vision is compelling. More visual clarity and hierarchy would help make the message stronger at first glance.

Belle Lee

The artwork is beautiful. Pastel colors are used skillfully, creating a soft and calming effect.. It could be a serious and heavy subject however the artist beautifully showed the utopia in the art.

10-Year-Old Genius Scientist

Liquid tablet

I expressed infinite possibilities through the sparkling expression of a child. I would be happy if it brings hope to those who see it.

Sophie Blackall

A strong sense of space characterizes this artist’s work; their images depict layered worlds and dynamic scenes

Victo Ngai

Cherry Fairy’s series is versatile, expressive, and haunting—each piece charged with strong emotional presence. To heighten impact, more variation in mark-making could help establish clearer visual hierarchy and stronger focal points, guiding the viewer more effectively through the narrative.

Belle Lee

The energy and passion of the young scientist were depicted very well through the art. I like how his eyes are full of curiosity and bright.
Rest of art can be enhanced a bit more especially compared to the first one. But the overall concept is interesting and well described.

Horse Leaping Among Flowers

Photoshop

This illustration series centers on horses to create a sense of illusory beauty and hazy dreams, each themed around a Chinese idiom: “Flowers in the Mirror, Moon in the Water” ( 镜花水月 ), “A Room Full of Gold and Jade” ( 金玉满堂 ), and “Flowers Seen in the Mirror” ( 镜里观花 ). The illustrations abandon the simplicity of traditional Chinese art and instead incorporate the opulence of Western styles to depict the dreamlike beauty of the East, while also conveying contemplation on the nature of illusion and reality.

Sophie Blackall

This artist combines traditional imagery with contemporary digital techniques and layers of details that seem ornamental but are also representing multiple stories and ideas.

Victo Ngai

Jiajuns work is dreamy and opulent, with rich cultural layering. A bit more visual simplification could enhance clarity and focus.

Belle Lee

Beautiful color palette. I can see how elegantly the piece picks up on a western style, yet I can also see influences of traditional Chinese art. It's beautifully illustrated. These series are so beautiful.

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BRONZE AWARD

huangyuxuan（China）

BRONZE AWARD

Minatsu YUI （Japan）

BRONZE AWARD

Yang Jingyi（China）

Snow Swallow

Watercolor

The motivation for the creation stems from a swift trapped in a snowdrift. Once this type of bird lands, if the situation is unfavorable, it will find it difficult to take flight again, with only a dead end lying ahead. I am unwilling to accept such a realistic ending, so I want to give the frozen swift a second chance at life. Trapped in the snowstorm, as the freezing snow accumulates, it transforms into a pine tree with crows circling around it. “I think I will survive. If there is only a small space left in this chaotic quagmire, then doing nothing would be a regret.” So, as a tree, it grows again, carrying the flock of birds up into the icy blue sky.

Sophie Blackall

Using a monochromatic, restrained palette for this watercolor painting, the artist tells a whole story with a single image.

Victo Ngai

Huang Yuxuan’s piece is quietly poetic and elegant. I especially loved discovering the small face nestled under the snow. However, the message wasn’t immediately clear to me. The snow-covered pine tree evokes strong Christmas symbolism, and the face initially read as a dog, leading me to interpret the image more as a whimsical holiday scene. Reconsidering the choice of elements and how they’re depicted could help communicate your message more clearly and effectively.

Belle Lee

Overall the art is good but the story can be delivered more clearly. The use of snow as contrast enhances the atmosphere and depth of the work.

The Magician of the Universe

CLIP STUDIO PAINT PRO

I created this piece with the image of an astronomical observatory at the edge of the universe. I paid special attention to the composition to convey the vastness of space and used colors carefully to express its dazzling and mysterious glow.

Sophie Blackall

This artist has created a futuristic scene at the edge of the universe using imagery steeped in 1960s retro sci-fi which is an interesting choice.

Victo Ngai

Yui’ work is a lush, cosmic vision rendered with confidence and an expansive composition. For further growth, refining the use of color saturation could help enhance narrative clarity and deepen emotional resonance.

Belle Lee

Appreciate how the artist tried to depict the beautiful universe with the magician. It's really colorful and fancy looking. However because of the colorful and strong background the main character could lose the focal point. It will be helpful to learn to utilize the contrast and size comparison to make the main character pop out.

The Dream Garden of Ti’ en Meng Li

Procreate

In the dreams of children, there is such a garden. Rainbows, streams, and blossoming flowers; jewels, stars, and the most dazzling things in the world make up this dreamlike garden. Stars fall into the river and flow towards the earth, and thus civilizations are born along the water. Souls of the departed fall into the soft stream and return to the garden’ s night sky. It dispels people’ s nightmares, existing outside the universe, in the eternity of dreams.

Sophie Blackall

At first glance, this image is a little difficult to decipher, and appears as a decorative pattern, but after careful study, the similarly hued details reveal gilded dragons and galleons and rainbows.

Victo Ngai

Yang’s dreamscape bursts with color and intricate detail. My first reaction was that it would make a beautiful scarf—visually rich and decorative. However, the narrative feels somewhat lost amidst the complexity. To take it further, refining focal areas and using scale and contrast more intentionally could help bring out the storytelling more clearly.

Belle Lee

Very interesting concept. I like the composition and usage of color. Overall Details is amazing.

BRONZE AWARD

Zhan Chaoming（Taiwan . China）

BRONZE AWARD

chenxinsheng（China）

1. Ouch ! That is too much !

2-3. overloading head

watercolor / marker/ Procreates

This is a series of works themed around “Information Overload in the Mind.” I drew inspiration from the anxiety and self-doubt that often arise during the process of self-expectation and value exploration among my peers \ including myself \ as we are about to enter society. These feelings are further intensified by the overwhelming influx of information encountered online. Through these works, I aim to directly depict the distress caused by mental information overload under constant stimulation, as well as the projected fear of overly stimulating content. At the same time, I wish to document the forms we take and the chaotic mental states we experience during this stage of growth.

Sophie Blackall

I feel like this artists is on the brink of doing something really interesting, combining digital and analog techniques, and I hope they continue to find art a rewarding outlet to help with anxiety and self-doubt.

Victo Ngai

Chaoming’s series is a visceral depiction of mental overload and emotional chaos. The expressiveness and visual energy are striking. To push it further, more variation in visual pacing or density across the series might help sustain viewer engagement and better convey the emotional arc.

Belle Lee

Throughout the 4 art works, there is a consistent style. I like how artists play with lines, shapes and color. But some art pieces can be enhanced. Having a good and clear focal point will stand out more.

Lost

Photoshop

Lost and Reborn captures just two moments: one of shattered silence and one of the faint glow of a smile. She is an elderly woman, pushed to the margins of the world by time, where the invisible days are as silent as dust. I deliberately left blank spaces between the images, not to downplay, but to let the unspoken become the most powerful voice. You might wonder, what did she lose? What helped her survive those nights when no one cared? It is not a miracle; it is what remains after struggling, a quiet self-mending. This series doesn't tell a complete story; it only offers two points, returning the power of narration to the viewer. May you see not just her in this silence, but also how we deal with vulnerability and aging. This is not the fate of one person; it is a silhouette of an entire group.

Sophie Blackall

These portraits combine confident line work with interesting textured layers of color, and convey considerable emotion through the well-drawn gestures and expressions.

Victo Ngai

Xinsheng captures deep emotion through expressive brushwork and a sensitive use of light and color. “Lost” feels especially successful. In contrast, the face in “Reborn” comes across as less considered and a bit generic. Also, adding more nuanced details—like age spots or signs of wear on the hands—could strengthen the storytelling and deepen the emotional impact.

Belle Lee

Character emotions are vividly described. The subject is powerful and two characters show individual concepts very well.

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SHORTLIST

SHORTLIST

Ala Sersniova（Lithuanian）

Execution in the forest

Pencils, alchohol based markers, pens, acrylic markers, gouache and photoshop

Unusual ornament with repeating elements.

SHORTLIST

aruto Kihara（Japan）

1. Satirize Modern Society

ibisPaint X

Today’ s world is overflowing with an overwhelming amount of material things, while both natural and man-made disasters occur frequently.Yet we go on living in this society, numb to its chaos, treating it as normal.I satirize this modern society that humans have likely built themselves.

2. Look Up

ibisPaint X

You gaze up at me, eyes filled with silent pain. Your tears, born of sorrow, ripple outward like waves, quietly spreading through the world.

SHORTLIST

Aaron Gao（China）

The Seven Seals: A Vision of Revelation

Procreate

This artwork is a spiritual interpretation of Revelation 4-5, depicting the throne of God, the Lamb, and the Seven Seals with astonishing precision. Every element is rendered with balanced, natural light, ensuring clarity and depth while staying true to the biblical text, recording only what is explicitly mentioned. To reinforce universality and sacred mystery, all figures have their faces veiled by light or masks, removing race and gender distinctions. At the top, a radiant light symbolizes God is presence, recalling Exodus 33:20: You cannot see My face, for no one may see Me and live. This central element draws the viewer is gaze, evoking awe and reverence. Inspired by Islamic artistic traditions, the artist integrates the Koine Greek text of Scripture into the design, echoing Quranic calligraphic decoration. This fusion of Persian ornamentation and Rococo aesthetics creates a unique visual language, blending sacred text with intricate beauty. More than an illustration, this work invites spiritual reflection, where light, scripture, and ornamentation merge, drawing viewers into the mystery of divine revelation.

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SHORTLIST

Yi Xuanchen（China）

I Want to Help You

Watercolor, colored pencils, acrylic, markers, Procreate

This work is a picture book I created during my senior year of college, based on an exploration of children’ s psychology. The main characters of the picture book are a brother and sister, and it tells a story that love does not need to be based on giving or being useful. The two illustrations depict the scene of the children making a cake together and the first page introducing the current situation of the two children. Watercolor and colored pencils are used in combination to present the worldview and context.

SHORTLIST

Daiki Ikukawa （Japan）

Hourglass

Procreate

A modern city is covered in greenery and quietly falling into ruin. In that scene, a white-haired girl dressed like a figure from ancient mythology stands alone. Through the contrast between her and the city, I expressed the fleeting nature of time and the transient beauty it brings.

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To Check Out More Winner Groups

Age 6-8

Gold Award

Ikkei Harada

Silver Award

Yuhang Yuan , Elyse Ma , Zhuang Yize

Bronze Award

Ann Sunaga , Qingran Chen , Zimu Zheng , Qiaozhi Zhou , SU WEN , Sun yueyao , wang ning , Zhang Xirui

Shortlist

Zhu Zhiye , Murat Gabidullin , Chen zhe xi , Du Yinuo , Fang Xima , Ho Wanshu , yangziyu , CHEN JO HSI , Jinxuan Sun , Maggie

Age 9-12

Gold Award

Lo Hsin Ni

Silver Award

Xiaomi Han , gen sunaga , zhanghajing

Bronze Award

Fan Yi , XUE JINGTIAN , koto tanaka , Lucia Tsai , Chunxi Jia , Xi Chen , Runyi Long , Zishu Zhou

Shortlist

Emma Zhang , Zitong Ye , Chloe Ho , Shiyuan Yang , Hongyu Ye , Zhuoxiao Zhang , Camille Fu , Zou Jianing , Freya Luo , Ju Jiayu

Age 13-18

Gold Award

Zhu Xinye

Silver Award

Ema Yamazaki , himari , Huang Hsi-Yu

Bronze Award

ine takiyama , Austen Maybee , SINMAN LI , Bemaia , Yuma Fukui , Danyi Zhang , Jiaming Zhang , Luoshengya

Shortlist

Koto Sakama , Mika , ARIA , Manrui He , Damla Iren Unluakin